With a six -wicket win in the last Test, India won the home series against Australia 4-0 and lifted the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at the Feroz Shah Kotla. Chasing 155, Cheteshwar Pujara anchored the Indian innings while captain MS Dhoni who joined him after the fall of three quick wickets sent Nathan Lyon to the ropes through mid-wicket to take the team across the line in the final session of Day 3.
After Ravindra Jadeja triggered an Australian collapse, for the second time in the game, Peter Siddle salvaged the visitors’ innings. Although the target seemed a competitive one on the backdrop of the events that had unfolded over the last two days, Pujara led the chase with a well-complied, unbeaten 82 and helped seal victory with Dhoni despite a few anxious moments in the middle.
Earlier, in less than ten minutes into the day’s play India were bowled for 272 by Nathan Lyon. However, with spinners reigning at the Kotla, Jadeja spun a web around the Australians and was complemented by fellow spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Ojha. Ravindra Jadeja set the Australians back by dealing a critical double blow. Glenn Maxwell who was sent to open the innings with David Warner lost his off-stump to Jadeja with just 15 runs on the board. The bowler then claimed Warner in his next over. 21 runs later, Ashwin bowling round the wicket and removed Phillip Hughes, and a bit later Ojha claimed Shane Watson. Jadeja continuing from the other end trapped Ed Cowan lbw.
With Australia facing an uphill task, it was left up to Steven Smith and Matthew Wade to stem the fall of wickets and rescue the innings. Playing watchfully the duo took Australia into lunch with a 79-run lead at 89 for five. But the resistance from the duo didn’t last as Jadeja struck twice in the second over after lunch. Jadeja who had completed his maiden five-wicket haul in Tests when he sent back Johnson for a duck was denied a hat-trick by Peter Siddle.
With Australia struggling on 94 for seven, Siddle once again came to the team’s rescue. Continuing from where he had left off in the previous innings the No.9 bat scored at a quick pace. But Australia’s woes continued as they lost the last recognised batsman Wade. Unfazed, Siddle milked the Indian bowlers, and with James Pattinson he added 35 runs. But the blooming partnership was halted Sharma by uprooting the latter’s middle-stump. Siddle then brought up his fifty off 44 balls and penciled his name in the record books as the first No.9 batsman in history of Test cricket to score a half-century in each innings of a Test. But the purposeful knock ended on the next ball as he was stumped by Dhoni off Ashwin. Thanks to the Siddle-led lower-order charge Australia posted 164 runs, before they took the field for the second time today.
Then during India’s second innings, with 19 runs on the board they lost the Murali Vijay who was castled by Glenn Maxwell. But local lad Virat Kohli who then came to crease ably supported Cheteshwar Pujara to close in on the target. The duo reduced the deficit to 83 runs, before the end of the session. With a sparkling 40 off 39 balls Pujara helped India to 72 for one with Kohli on 16 when tea was called. The duo had added 104 runs, until Lyon dismissed Kohli for 41 and claimed Sachin Tendulkar in his next over. And with Ajinkya Rahane caught at mid-wicket, India were reduced to 128 for four. But the Indian skipper who then joined Pujara in the middle ensured that India achieved the target without further hiccups.
Man of the Match: Ravindra Jadeja for his maiden match-winning five-wicket haul
Man of the Series: Ravichandran Ashwin for picking 29 wickets in the four-Test series
Brief scores:
At the end of Day 3: India 1st innings 272 all out in 70.2 overs (B Kumar 14*, N Lyon 7/94); Australia 2nd innings 164 all out in 46.3 overs (P Siddle 50, R Jadeja 5/58, P Ojha 2/19, R Ashwin 2/55); India 2nd innings 158/4 in 31.2 overs (C Pujara 82*, V Kohli 41, MS Dhoni 12*, G Maxwell 2/54, M Lyon 2/71)
At the end of Day 2: Australia 1st innings 262 all out 112.1 overs (P Siddle 51, J Pattinson 30, R Ashwin 5/57, P Ojha 1/75); India 1st innings 266/8 in 68.1 overs (M Vijay 57, C Pujara 52, R Jadeja 43, N Lyon 5/94)
At the end of Day 1: Australia 1st innings 231/8 in 98 overs (P Siddle 47*, S Smith 46, J Pattinson 11*, R Ashwin 4/40, R Jadeja 2/34, I Sharma 2/35)
